Latest posts by chubby bloke

Not much to report on here. I'm shattered so rested again today after gentle days on Mon and Tues. I was at climbing competition all day so squeezing in a run would have been tough. Hoping to get 5 miles in tomorrow morning but a panic over the need to do some prep for work might cut the run a bit shorter!

Andrew, I would recommend Greg McMillan's "You, only faster" as a good starting point. Matt Fitzgerald's "80/20" is good if you want confirmation that the MG ethos is right (lots of miles, some of them fast!) I've just read the Daniels book and found it was aimed more at top level club runners and coaches, and not mortals like me. Reading the training programs they seem very tough! I wasn't sold on Julian Goater's book either, though it's an interesting read. I've not read P&D, it's on the list! Lydiard inspired coaches like McMillan and Fitzgerald who I think have adapted his principles for mortals. I've heard his book assumes you're running upwards of 80 miles a week.

Good run in Macclesfield forest yesterday, hill reps up Shutlingsloe. Today I'm full of cold and get dizzy if I stand up too long or walk upstairs, so I left work early and would be in bed if I weren't procrastinating over writing reports!

I just knocked 2:33 off my 10k pb, down to 41:19. In the 15 weeks leading up to it I averaged 40 miles per week, of which around 85% were 9mm or slower. Running the slow miles builds aerobic fitness and efficiency, and allows you to be sufficiently recovered to hammer the tough sessions.

I like what you're doing. It's nice to see somebody doing enough slow miles.

Your tempo run is a double day the day after your long run. You might get more out of it by moving it to a Tuesday. You could also look into slightly longer tempo runs as you build up to a race, for example 5x1 mile off 2 min rest.

I'd been dreading this morning's run. I was thinking that 10 miles at MP would be too much for me, and my endurance base was aimed at 10k, which wouldn't see me round. 11 miles at 7:06 pace (HM pace for training is 7:02), whilst conversing, allieviated my fears and tells me I'm a bit fitter than I thought I was!

Don't worry about posting what you're doing, I never did, and when I started posting I was the slowest on the thread by far. The subtitle of the thread is Improvement through Collaboration, which means that if we don't share the point of the thread is lost.

Sounds promising with the MP, DT. I always find it hard to restrain pace in the first 800m of a 5k too! One day I'll get a perfectly paced negative split...

It sounds as if your running's going well Andrew. I understand the club situation only too well. For a lot of this winter I've been turning up at club wanting 6 miles at 9-10mm pace, and ended up running alone - I've learnt to always take my ipod!

I was going to take it easy all week, but a clubmate wants a long tempo run on Sunday so I'm joining him for 9 miles at MP - should be interesting!

10 easy miles yesterday in soggy Manchester. Core this morning. Should get 8 miles in before work - no lessons tomorrow so don't have to rush in to print or photocopy! Downside is school finishes early so no boxercise .

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